an Eldis Resource
Saving lives now: female condoms and the role of US foreign aid
US government policy should promote the integration of female condoms into HIV prevention efforts
Authors:
; Center for Health and Gender Equity
Publisher:
Center for Health and Gender Equity , 2008
This report from the Centre for Health and Gender Equity outlines the importance of the female condom in preventing the spread of HIV. Female condoms are not readily accessible in most countries and significant investment is needed to overcome barriers to their use such as cost and difficulty of use, however the report finds that in the countries where they are accessible, there is a growing demand for them. Because the vast majority of potential consumers are unaware that female condoms exist, there are no meaningful estimates of global demand.
The report concludes that high quality female condom programming is critical to increasing female condom demand and uptake. The role of the US government in these programmes is highlighted: Currently the US is among the best providers of female condoms but bureaucratic obstacles, funding restrictions, and a lack of high level commitment have significantly hindered the expansion of US-funded female condom distribution efforts. The authors recommend policy changes that will promote the integration of female condoms into HIV prevention and family planning programmes within US funded development programs, including PEPFAR. They also recommend intensive programming efforts to an additional three countries for scale-up and replication.
[adapted from author]
